Method For The Automatic Detection Of The Use Of Chargeable Means Of Transport Conveying Passengers

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a method for the automatic detection of the use of chargeable means of transport conveying passengers. Said method is characterized in that at least one transmitter located in the area of the means of transport sends out data telegrams in the form of unidirectional communication while said data telegrams are received and further processed by a terminal of the user utilizing the means of transport.

The present invention relates to a method for automatically detectingthe use of chargeable means of transport conveying passengers.

Hitherto, the use of chargeable means of transport, in particular ofpublic passenger traffic, has been mainly realised by using ticketsprinted on paper. These tickets, however, are complicated to handle andcan be relatively easily falsified. Moreover, ticketing systems based onso-called smartcards have been known from the state of the art. Thesecan be either cards fitted with contacts (classical chip cards), orcontactless cards (transponder cards), or hybrid forms (dual interfacecards). These smartcards contain the relevant data (ticket data and/orfare data) for ticket-charging.

The smartcards are processed within the scope of fare-charging(write/read processes at automats, passage barriers, control devices,manned points of sale, and other offices of public transport) by acorresponding technical ticketing infrastructure of the respectivetransport services. There is a considerable volume of communicationsignals in the area of the devices which, in turn, must communicate withcentral units for the purpose of pricing, evaluation of use, and thelike.

In systems where public transport is predominantly realised by usingtickets printed on paper which must be bought or cancelled for a fixeddistance before the beginning of the trip, the passenger must eithertravel the distance paid for, or let the ticket expire in whole or inpart. An inspector can check by merely looking at the ticket whether theticket is valid for the distance travelled.

For several years, there have been different methods in the state of theart for replacing the tickets made of paper with an electronic ticket.The methods enable automatic determination and deduction of the fare.

The following methods which are supposed to enable a more comfortablededuction of the fare are known from the state of the art:

In Hanau, the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (passenger transit association)operates a so called “check in/check out” system on a trial basis, wherethe passenger identifies himself by means of a chip card at a terminalin the vehicle on entering and exiting the vehicle. A background systemthen calculates which distances the customer has actually travelled andbooks the calculated fares on an account linked to the chip card.

From PCT application NL01/00215 a method is known, where the passengeruses a mobile apparatus (for example a mobile phone or a transponder)with a number allocated to him, in order to be automatically identifiedwhen he is on a vehicle of the public local traffic. The vehicleautomatically registers where the passenger enters the vehicle and wherehe leaves the vehicle. Usually, these data are transmitted to abackground system that determines the fare for the travelled distance onthe basis of these data. Such systems are often called “be-in/be-out”systems.

From DE 199 57 660, a method for deducting the fare for the use ofpublic transport means is known where a cheque card-like memory carriedalong by the user is loaded with a credit. During the use of publictransport means, the transport means emits counting pulses, and for eachreceived counting pulse, a pre-determined amount is deducted from thecredit stored on the memory unit. For this reason, the memory unit mustbe virtually incessantly active, thereby increasing energy consumptionconsiderably. Moreover, an adjustment to fare systems, group systems,and the like is basically impossible. Finally, it is also provided thata recognition device is formed on the transport means which recognisesand processes the encodings of the individual tickets. Thus, abidirectional exchange of information takes place.

From Switzerland, a pilot project called “easyride” is known, where thecustomer carries along a transponder card which registers him in thetransport means when he uses a transport means and which repeats thisregistration regularly. Communication between the transport means andthe transponder card occurs bi-directionally and increases in complexitywith an increasing number of passengers on the transport means.Nevertheless, customer comfort has already been good.

Such be-in/be-out systems, however, have so far been very expensive andsusceptible to technical defects. Another frequently occurring problemis the high energy requirement of the transponder medium.

The disadvantage of check-in/check-out systems is that they are usuallynot suitable for mass applications: imagine a full underground train atrush hour, where each passenger must go up to a terminal on theunderground train to check out on or shortly before arrival of thedestination stop. In actual fact, this is only practical in closedsystems with rotating bars at each stop, as for instance in the LondonTube. It is rather impractical for open systems as they are used inGermany. Moreover, for holders of monthly season tickets, the additionaleffort for check-in and check-out proves to be a change for the worse incomparison with tickets on paper.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method forautomatic detection of use of chargeable means of transport, which iseasy to handle, customer-friendly, resistant to fraud attempts, andflexible with regard to fare determination.

The method according to the invention is characterised in that at leastone transmitter arranged in the area of the transport means sends outdata telegrams in the form of unidirectional communication, which arereceived and processed by a user terminal of the user using thetransport means.

The special advantage of this method is that communication occursexclusively from the transmitter located in the area of the transportmeans in the direction of the user terminal, i. e. there is no signal ordata transmission from the user terminal in the direction of thetransmitter. This so-called broadcast method avoids collisions which canoccur when data are transmitted simultaneously by several userterminals. In this case, it would be required to reserve largerfrequency ranges in order to enable interference free transmission by alarge number of user terminals. This is not feasible, in particular atlarge traffic junctions. Another alternative would be the use of aprotocol by means of which the data transmitted to the user terminalscan be coordinated. Such an implementation, however, is complicate andextremely susceptible to errors. Furthermore, the transmitter arrangedin the area of the transport means requires a communication connectionto a central computer unit for the transmission of the received data,which also involves effort and costs.

The starting point is that the passenger has an electronic device (userterminal) with a memory which is connected with at least one receiverand one processing unit. The terminal preferably has a display.Subsequently, a process involving the following steps is carried out:

-   -   Sending out data telegrams from a transmitter located in the        area of the transport means,    -   Non-recurrent receiving and storing of the data telegrams sent        out by the transmitter,    -   Receiving and storing further data telegrams sent out by the        transmitter, and    -   Further processing of the received data telegrams, taking into        account the data and algorithms located in the user terminal or        contained in the data telegrams,        with preferably easily receivable radio transmitters        (transponders, WLAN, bluetooth or others) with a limited        transmission range being used as transmitters. The transmitters        are preferably insensitive to interferences; particularly        suitable for this purpose are so-called frequency hopping        technologies, straddle band techniques, or the like. Reading        back of the transmitted code enables continuous functional        control in the transport means. For instance, a read-back        receiver verifies the correct transmission of the data telegrams        sent out by the transmitter, recognises        collisions/interferences, if applicable, and initiates a change        of frequency or channel in case of such disturbances, so that        the data telegrams are transmitted on a different frequency or a        different channel. Thus, the system is self-organising and        functions both with several transmitters in one vehicle and with        several vehicles where the transmission ranges of the        corresponding transmitters are overlapping.

This means that the user terminal where the electronic ticket orE-ticket is stored receives and further processes the data telegramssent out by the transmitter. This further processing can be restrictedto storing the received data without any change.

According to the invention, units can be deducted from a pre-paid creditafter evaluation of the received data telegram in the user terminal.This credit can be recharged at points provided for this purpose forinstance upon take-over of the user terminal, or at any other time. Thefare to be paid can either be linear and distance-sensitive, or becalculated according to any other fare system.

In one embodiment, the user terminal contains temporally and/orgeographically limited validity information which is compared with thedata contained in the received data telegram. This enables therealisation of a time card the validity of which can simultaneously belimited to a geographically restricted area. The ticket can for instancebe valid for one day, one weekend, one week, one month, or even oneentire year. Any other periods of validity are possible as well, forinstance during trade fairs or other events. Furthermore, the validitycan be limited to a geographic region, as for instance a city or atraffic zone. A restriction to particular transport means is alsopossible. The existence of a validity information which corresponds tothe data received from the transport means (ticket matches the trip) canfor instance be shown on the display for the purpose of easier visualcontrol.

According to another embodiment, the received data of the transmitterare stored in the user terminal and transmitted in whole or in part in adeferred mode to a central computer unit, whereupon the total price tobe paid is determined in the central computer unit. In this process, allreceived data packages can be transmitted to the computer unit. It isalso possible that data sets which have already been processed in theuser terminal and marking for instance the beginning of the trip and theend of the trip, are transmitted to the computer unit, and that to thisextent they are pre-processed in the user terminal. It is also possibleto combine these principles. In this manner, also the route travelledcan advantageously be taken into account with the determination of thefare. The subsequent deduction of the fare for the actual use isparticularly suitable for regular customers whose data are known to thetransport service provider. For instance, the storage of a kind of downpayment in the user terminal which is successively deducted during usesuggests itself. When a particular limit has been reached, theelectronic ticket stored in the user terminal loses its validity untilthe user terminal is connected with a central computer unit tocommunicate with it for data transmission, an exact deduction has beenmade, and a new down payment has been transferred to the user terminal.

Of course also other deduction modes can be provided, for instance theuse of single- and multiple-ride tickets. P The user terminaladvantageously shows which deduction mode is active. This, together withthe validity of the ticket, can be verified both by the user and by aninspector.

The data telegrams sent out by the transmitter located in the transportmeans advantageously contain at least one information item from the setcompany ID, sequence number, date, time, location information, fareinformation, and transport means identification or transport meanscharacteristic. The company ID serves to identify the company providingthe transport service, thereby making it possible for instance todistribute income to the various enterprises in a passenger transitassociation. Based on the sequence number, the data telegram can beunambiguously identified. With the aid of date and time, the time of useof a transport means can be determined. The location information servesto reconstruct the geographical course of the transport. Based on thetransport means identification, it can be determined which transportmeans was used. Of course the data telegrams can also contain otherinformation not mentioned here.

The transmitter advantageously obtains this information from a computeralready located in the transport means, e. g. an on-board RBL computer,or an IBIS control unit. Transmission can be effected via an IBISvehicle bus, Ethernet LAN, or other channels.

In this process, the data (code) transmitted by the transport means isqualified. Depending on which type of fare model is to be supported, thecode contains at least a meter reading or a location information. Fromthe change/updating of the code, the processing unit (V) can determinethe distances which have been travelled during the use of the transportmeans, and which fare the passenger will have to pay accordingly. Forinstance, if the passenger gets on the vehicle at a stop (A), and ameter of the transport means shows 100, this meter reading can now besent out regularly by the transport means without the processing unitdecreasing the stored value or money units thereby. Only when thetransport means is moving, the meter of the transport means will beincremented. So for instance, the meter reading at stop (B) can be 103,and at stop (C) 110, correspondingly. From the receiver (E), theprocessing unit receives the respective changed codes from which themeter reading can be determined. If the meter reading has changed,corresponding value or money units can be deducted during the trip, andthe passenger can be shown a remaining quota or credit balance on thedisplay.

Widely used are also fares specifying a fixed price for each possibledistance from A to B, often as a function of zones, “honeycombs”, orother superior administrative units. With such fare models, it ispossible to send information about the current stop and, if applicable,the current zone, “honeycomb”, etc. by means of the method according tothe invention. Now the user terminal can independently calculate thefare to be paid for the travelled distance, e. g. on the basis of tablesand algorithms. These can for instance be stored in the user terminalor, with a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, bealso contained in the transmitted code, which will be explained in moredetail in the following. In the variant mentioned last, for instance thefares or fare lines incurred so far for all possible starting stopscould be transmitted at each stop; the user terminal would evaluate onlythe information relevant for its own starting stop. The fare can bededucted at each stop, namely as a deduction of the difference withrespect to the deduction at the previous stop. For example, if apassenger travels five stops, it is possible to deduct the price for a“short trip” upon reaching the first stop, and to additionally deductthe difference between a “short trip” and a “single ride” in the furthercourse of the trip only after he has reached the 4^(th) stop.

A particular problem results from fare regulations as they are commonfor instance with the Rhein-Main Verkehrsverbund or the VerkehrsverbundRhein-Ruhr, where a ticket may only be used for “rides in the directionof the destination”. With paper-based tickets, the passenger isresponsible for buying a ticket for the return trip. An automaticticketing system must do this automatically in a reliable manner. Aspecific example illustrates the problem:

When traveling from Niedernhausen to Königstein in the Rhein-Main area,it is necessary to initially take a train to Höchst, change trainsthere, and continue to Niedernhausen on a train which travels almost inthe opposite direction. From a purely geographical point of view, thepassenger travels in a pointed triangle: the passenger therefore makesquite a detour to get to his destination, and then already approacheshis starting station again; from a fare point of view, however, it isstill one direction.

The invention can solve this problem. For this purpose, informationabout permissible “directions of travel” are inserted in the code,so-called trip continuation rules. Upon entering the vehicle, the userterminal stores the starting stop, and upon reaching the next stop, thedirection of travel can be determined in addition, which will then bevalid for the entire further ride. At each stop, the transport meanssends information for any possible starting stop, whether the ride maybe continued in the travelled direction, or whether a new ticket isrequired to continue. As soon as a passenger reaches a stop where theinformation with regard to trip continuation does not permit acontinuation in the desired direction, the current ticket can befinished and deducted, whereupon a new ticket with the current stop iscalculated as the new starting stop.

In this process, codes may be generated as a function of all imaginableprice-relevant parameters, such as the travelled distance, date and timein order to distinguish between peak and off-peak times, type oftransport means in order to enable different prices e. g. for busses,trains, and taxis, travelled zones, direction of travel, weather,punctuality of the transport means, just to mention a few.

The code sent out by the transmitter located in the transport meansreasonably also contains one or several other information items, suchas:

-   -   an identification of the operator in order to ensure that the        value or money units are indeed valid for the operator,    -   an identification of the transport means in order to ensure that        in case of a change of transport means, the meter readings can        be distinguished and thereby a correct deduction of value or        money units is ensured;    -   a group identification and/or price information in order to        transmit for instance different fare information for children        and adults and to thereby enable lower prices for children;    -   an inspection characteristic for ticket inspections, e. g. a        check figure or a combination of symbols. This inspection        characteristic can for instance be contained in the code only in        case of a ticket inspection and then be shown on the display.        This enables a simple visual inspection by the inspector. In a        particularly secure embodiment of the method, the display of the        inspection characteristic can be made contingent on the prior        reception of at least one code without the inspection        characteristic, which is identical except for the contained        meter reading. This also makes it easy to identify passengers        who deliberately suppress the reception of the codes, since in        this case, the display will not show the inspection        characteristic;    -   A time with or without date in order to rule out abuse by        processing only such codes which contain a current time. In this        manner, it is possible to prevent codes from being recorded and        sent again. For a comparison of time, the processing unit can        carry out a time measurement which is updated by the exact time        contained in the code;    -   Instead of, or in addition to time, a serial number may be        contained in the code, which also makes it possible to exclude        already received codes with lower numbers from being processed;        and    -   value units which can be loaded to a memory.

The method can be implemented in a particularly simple manner if thesending of codes occurs at fixed times, e. g. every 10 seconds. In thismanner, the receivers can have a particularly energy-saving design,since they can be switched off in the mean time. For instance, asynchronisation signal with a summary of contents can be transmittedtogether with the code sent out by the transmitter. The synchronisationsignal synchronises the user terminals with the transmitter with regardto time. The summary of contents contains time information about thetimes when the individual signals are emitted by the transmitter.Correspondingly, user terminals can switch on shortly before a signal issent out in order to receive the same, and switch off immediately afterreception of a signal. For this purpose, however, it is required thatthe physical data transmission has the possibility for synchronoustransmission. Collision detection, as e. g. CSMA-CA (Carrier SenseMultiple Access with Collision Avoidance), which can cause a delay ofsignal emission, should be deactivated.

A special aspect of the invention relates to the sending of the datatelegrams triggered by particular events.

According to the invention, the events occur at fixed intervals. Thisensures that the user terminal regularly receives data telegrams.

According to one embodiment, the events occur after a distance travelledby the transport means. In this manner, the use of the transport meanscan be recorded with a pre-determinable local accuracy.

Furthermore, it is possible that the events occur when the transportmeans is in the area of a station. In this manner, the sending of datatelegrams can be reduced to a minimum, since the stops define discretesections constituting a smallest possible usable unit. If no furtherdata telegram is received, it must be assumed that the user has left thetransport means at the stop allocated to the data telegram receivedlast. For a more accurate sectioning, it may be provided that one datatelegram is sent when the transport means is approaching a station, andone data telegram is sent when it is leaving the station. This ensuresthat the user terminal of the user receives at least one data telegramat each station.

According to another embodiment, the events occur after a change of zoneand/or “honeycomb”. Such a change can be of importance for thedetermination of the fare and thus for the validity of the ticket, whichis why the emission of a data telegram suggests itself with this event.

The emission of such data telegrams triggered by a pre-determined eventcan for instance also occur at the next pre-determined time afteroccurrence of the pre-determined event. In this manner, the number oftransmitted data telegrams can be linked to events, while at the sametime, an energy-saving operation of the user terminal is ensured.

Of course it is possible that several of these events trigger theemission of a data telegram. Not only in this case, it would be suitableto record the type of triggering event in the data telegram.

In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, data sets aboutdistances travelled are generated in the user terminal from the receiveddata telegrams and saved there. Thus, for deduction purposes or foranalysing the usage behaviour, it can be determined when and where auser has entered or left a transport means. Based on these data, alsotrips interrupted by a change of transport means can be recognised asbelonging together.

On principle, the fare information can also be deposited in the memoryof the user terminal.

The method for automatic detection of the use of chargeable means oftransport is based on the user terminal being switched on throughout thetrip. In order to prevent the user terminal from being switched on onlywhen a ticket inspection is carried out, the transmitter arranged in thetransport means can emit a data telegram which puts the user terminal ina control mode. This mode is displayed by the user terminal and cannotbe accepted if the user terminal has been switched on after the emissionof the corresponding data telegram.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, theuser terminal can be deliberately switched off by the user. In thismanner, a customer may carry several user terminals at the same time,without a deduction occurring on all of them when they are switched off.This may be the case for instance when a father carries the userterminals of his children, although the children are not travelling withhim.

Of course also other control mechanisms may be used which are initiatedby the emission of a special data telegram, without abandoning the basicidea of this invention.

Imaginable receivers involve another practical problem: If the transportmeans does not send any information, the receiver cannot recognise thisat first, since in this case, the receivers will recognise randominformation (white noise of the receiver). This property usuallyinvolves a high energy requirement of the receiver, since a classicalcarrier detection is not possible with these receivers, and thereceivers must therefore remain continuously switched on. In order tofurther reduce the energy requirement in the user terminal, the emissionof the codes may occur very redundantly.

If the codes are encoded according to a fixed pattern, e. g. each bit isrepeated n times, the receiver can recognise within a fraction of asecond whether the signal originates from the transmitter, or whether itis white noise, since if the white noise signal changes faster thanaccording to elements equal to “n”, the receiver can be switched off atonce and will only be switched on again after a fixed time (restperiod). This method is particularly effective if the period fortransmission of the code is longer than the rest period of the receiver.

For a particularly robust design of the method, it is possible toevaluate a received code as valid only if certain characteristics of thecode (e. g. the current stop) have been received several times in thecourse of a longer section. This serves to prevent possibleinterferences by radio signals from oncoming transport means.

In a preferred embodiment of the method, the value or money units areonly deducted if the change of the meter reading exceeds a certainthreshold value. This ensures that no codes are received which originatefrom a passing transport means which the passenger is not using at all.In this case, he will receive one or several codes, but the containedmeter readings have hardly changed due to the small short distancetravelled by the transport means, and thus can be ignored.

The method is particularly tamper-resistant if the code is encrypted orsigned with an asymmetric encryption method known from the state of theart, whereby the private key is used for encryption or for generating anelectronic signature of the code, and the public key for deciphering thecode. This ensures that the price-relevant codes are generated only byauthorised devices. Corresponding security can also be obtained by usingsymmetrical encryption methods. In this case, the keys are deposited inthe user terminal in an appropriately secure manner.

Furthermore, a particularly favourable embodiment of the method isimaginable for subscribers where, before any money or value units arededucted, it is verified whether the distance travelled is contained ona list stored in the user terminal and, if it can be recognised ascontained in the subscription, it is not charged. In this manner,frequent travellers can pay for particular distances on a flat-ratebasis, for instance monthly, and only occasional trips are deducted fromthe money or value units contained in the user terminal.

In total, the overall method according to the invention comprises alarge number of detailed individual methods. As is obvious for theperson skilled in the art, each one of these by itself is independentlypatentable. The basic method starts from the assumption that atransmitter belonging to a transport means emits signals in accordancewith a pre-determined rule. A user terminal belonging to a user containsa receiver, a memory, a processing unit, and possibly a display. Theuser terminal is designed as small and robust as possible and can becarried along by any user. If a user is inside a transport means andthus within the range of the transmitter belonging to the transportmeans, the user terminal receives the data telegrams emitted by thetransmitter of the transport means. Preferably, a value representing amoney value or a point card or the like is stored in the memory of theuser terminal. This value can be shown as a credit in the display.Depending on the respective method and the entire codes, the appropriatefare can now be deducted from the stored value. Thus, in the simplesttheoretical case, the basic system could function so that the transportmeans emits a data telegram at each stop, and the user terminal deductsa value based on at least two data telegrams.

Moreover, special information can be deposited in the user terminal, asfor instance special fare values for children, senior citizens, and thelike, information about the transport area, information about distancesto be travelled, or for example time information, like monthly seasontickets and the like.

On principle, fare information and prices can be stored completely inthe memory of the user terminal and taken into account or, in case thatthis comprises too much information, be transmitted in the code by thetransmitter. If the fare information and prices are stored completely inthe user terminal, it is sufficient for the transmitter located in thetransport means to transmit for instance position data in order todetermine the fare in the user terminal. Consequently, only littleinformation needs to be transmitted to the user terminal. Thedisadvantage of this is that the fare information and prices can only bechanged with relatively great effort. For a change of the passengertransit association, it is also required that the fare information andprices of different passenger transit associations are deposited in theuser terminal.

Alternatively, the fare information can be stored in the user terminals,while the prices and position data are transmitted by the transmitters.In this manner, at least a change of prices can be accomplishedrelatively easily.

According to another alternative, an operating system is stored on eachuser terminal, while the fare information, the prices and position dataare emitted by the transmitters, and then interpreted by the userterminals for the purpose of determining the fare, thereby making thedetermination of the fare very flexible.

Of course other information beyond the position data can be transmitted,as for instance the company ID, date, time, etc.

The fare information can contain for instance details about the ticketsrequired for one trip, extra charges required for a trip, variousauthorisations, rules for mutual validity between tickets (short trip,single ride, long distance, etc.), trip continuation rules, or the like.The fare information can also define pre-determined tickets, as forinstance monthly season tickets, including the local and temporalvalidity criteria, in order to enable the user terminals for instance toverify the validity of the ticket solely on the basis of position dataemitted by the transmitters.

In order to be flexible in the simplest manner, the user terminal canhave an additional interface, for instance an infrared interface, andretrieve special information or modes. So for instance, a simpletransmitter field can be used in the transport means in order toactivate a multi-person mode in the user terminal, for instance double,triple, or multiple deductions or the like. For this purpose, it issufficient to hold it against a correspondingly marked transmitterdisplay in order to obtain the information via infrared.

The fare information can be edited by the transmitter in such a way thatthe respective fare to be paid in relation to any starting station,starting zone, or the like is determined and transmitted for the currentstop. The respective user terminal can then in a simple manner retrieveand deduct the valid fare.

For recharging the user terminal, it is advanced to so-called chargingterminals. For instance, identification can occur via the infraredinterface, but also via other interfaces, either in a non-contacting orcontacting manner. A payment made in cash or by card can then also betransmitted as a credit to the user terminal via infrared, radio, USB,or the like. In this process, identification methods and encryptionmethods can be used.

The charging terminals are preferably connected online to chargingservers, so that the charging terminals themselves do not provide anyinformation which could be retrieved for instance by third parties.Alternatively, the charging terminals can carry out offline chargingprocedures and, in doing so, take an upper amount limit into account. Inthis mode of operation, the upper amount limit (limit) decreases witheach reservation process and is only increased again if the chargingprocess has been approved by a charging server.

Each of these individual characteristics mentioned is patentable byitself, independent of the others.

The user terminal becomes particularly flexible if, as explained, it isadditionally equipped with an infrared receiver. Via this receiver,special codes can be transmitted to the user terminal in a very simplemanner in order to change settings in the memory. For instance, it ispossible to provide several fields in the transport means with onesimple infrared transmission unit each which marks how many persons thepassenger is travelling with. An infrared transmitter continuously sendsa “1”, a second infrared transmitter continuously sends a “2”, etc. Bysimply “pointing” at a person symbol, the passenger can now tell hisuser terminal that the following trip is to be deducted for thecorresponding number of persons. Instead of an infrared receiver, alsoother simple receiving devices are imaginable, e. g. a contact, anotherradio interface, ultrasonic sensors, a photo sensor, and others.

For the use in taxis or other means of transport where the fare must beallocated very precisely to the individual operator, it may be providedthat the data are read out from the user terminal immediately upondeduction, and the read-out information is transferred to an accountingsystem.

It may be provided that the data stored in the user terminal arecollected in regular intervals and transmitted to a central computerunit. This can occur for instance when the user reaches a particularzone, for instance the entrance to a station, or when the userestablishes a connection between his user terminal and a computer unitof the transport service provider for purposes of deduction.

In general, different ways of reading out the transaction data containedin the memories are possible: When recharging the user terminals withnew value units, or via the Internet, or automatically on a regularbasis during the ride at a data memory inside the vehicle.

The method is particularly efficient if the value units to be deductedcan be reloaded by the passenger against payment of appropriate amounts.The method according to the invention provides that a background systemdetects the payment and then transfers new value units to the userterminal. The payment procedure of the passenger can occur in cash at apoint of sale, or cashless via automats, a call centre, or the Internet.The value units generated for the user terminal can for instance betransferred to the user terminal by means of charging terminals. It isalso imaginable to provide the codes emitted by the transport means withthe value units intended for the user terminals. For this purpose, it isrequired that the value units are valid for one particular user terminaland are emitted in every transport means.

In an advantageous manner, the user terminal shows the current status,for instance the ticket or authorisation status. In this way, both theuser and an inspector can determine simply by looking at the userterminal whether the ticket is valid and whether the user is authorisedto use the transport means.

The user terminal is initialised with delivery to the user, for instanceby loading ticket information. When the user enters a transport meanswith the user terminal switched on, the user terminal receives a firstdata telegram, from which a data set about the beginning of the trip isgenerated and stored. In addition to the date and time, this data setalso contains the identification of the transport means, so that boththe time and the transport service used can be identified unambiguously.During the trip, the user terminal receives further data telegrams untilthe user leaves the area covered by the transmitter located in thetransport means, and no further data telegrams are received. Analogousto the process in the beginning of the trip, the user terminal generatesa data set about the end of the trip containing the date, the time andthe transport means identification. During the period of the trip, theuser terminal shows whether the ticket stored in it is valid. As soon asthe user terminal establishes communication contact with a computer unitof the transport service provider on the next occasion, the stored dataare transmitted to this computer unit, for instance in order to carryout an analysis of the usage behaviour, control it, and improve theuser's confidence in the system.

For security reasons, all data processed while the method according tothe invention is carried out are preferably signed. So for example thepassenger transit association, in a possible role as party responsiblefor the product, determines the fares and the possible types of ticketsand signs these, so that they cannot be changed any more. Also theinformation emitted by the transmitters located inside the transportmeans is preferably signed at least partly in order to rule outmanipulation of this information. The user terminals receiving thissigned information verify the signature and also sign the receipt inorder to secure a firm proof of the transport service rendered. Finally,also recharging processes when loading a user terminal with a credit aresigned by the respective responsible party (e. g. by authorised chargingterminals), whereby the loaded credit preferably becomes valid only bythe signature.

Other advantages and features of the invention can be gathered from thefollowing description on the basis of the figures. In these figures:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram for explanation of the method,

FIG. 2 shows the representation of an exemplary embodiment of a userterminal, and

FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram for explanation of the method forcharging the user terminal.

In the figures, identical elements are identified by the same referencenumerals.

According to FIG. 1, a bus 1 is shown, representative of public means oftransport such as trains, taxis, and the like. A user with a userterminal 2 is located inside of the bus 1. The transmitters 3 emit datatelegrams in dependence of the method used, i. e. as a function of time,distance, or other parameters. Details of a transmitter with IBISperiphery, transponder base station and corresponding interfaces areshown in the enlarged box. The data telegrams are received by the userterminal 2, and the data or information contained therein is processed.

According to FIG. 2, the user terminal 2 is formed of a one- ormultipart housing, while a hole 4 is shown in the depicted exemplaryembodiment. By means of this hole, the user terminal designated forinstance as an electronic ticket can be carried on a bunch of keys or acomparable retaining element. A display 5 is arranged in the housingwhich can show information about amounts or other value information. Inthe area of the bottom line 6, additional information can be displayed,for instance if a trip for several persons is deducted via this ticket,station information, and the like. As described above, there is aprocessor, a memory, and essentially a receiver in the user terminal 2,whereby the widened section 7 on one end serves to accommodatecomponents.

According to FIG. 3, for instance an infrared receiver 9 can be arrangedin this area 7. Charging terminals 8 arranged in appropriate placesserve to initially carry out an identification procedure with the userterminal 2. Subsequently, the user can insert financial means 10 such ascash, cheque cards, and the like. After a corresponding protocol or alsoby using different interfaces, terminal 8 can then transfer appropriatecredit values to user terminal 2.

The described exemplary embodiments only serve a better understandingand are not restrictive.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1 Bus-   2 User terminal-   3 Transmitter-   4 Hole-   5 Display-   6 Display area-   7 Widened section-   8 Charging terminal-   9 IR interface-   10 Financial means

1. A method for automatic detection of the use of means of transportwith costs for conveying passengers, wherein at least one transmitterlocated in the area of the means of transport sends out data telegramsin the form of unidirectional communication, which data telegrams arereceived and further processed by a user terminal of the user using themeans of transport.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the datatelegrams contain at least one information from the set of company ID,sequence number, date, time, location information, fare information, ortransport means identification.
 3. The method according to claim 1,wherein the data telegrams are sent out at times which can beprecalculated by the user terminal.
 4. The method according to claim 1,wherein at least one data telegram is provided with an electronicsignature, while the user terminal verifies this signature.
 5. Themethod according to claim 1 the user terminal generates and stores datasets from the received data telegrams about distances covered.
 6. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein distances covered are stored independence of fare provisions in the form of individual data sets forthe respective stages relevant for deduction.
 7. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the stored data are collected and transmitted in timeintervals to a central computer unit.
 8. The method according to claim7, wherein data transmitted to a central computer unit are provided withan electronic signature by the user terminal.
 9. The method according toclaim 1, wherein prices are determined as a function of fare informationfor distances covered and are debited to a settlement account.
 10. Themethod according to claim 9, (wherein) the fare information required todetermine the fare is stored in the user terminal.
 11. The methodaccording to claim 9, wherein the fare information required to determinethe fare is emitted out by the transmitter.
 12. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the user terminal reserves electronic tickets and/orauthorisations, and/or displays the current status.
 13. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the user terminal contains temporallyand/or geographically limited validity information which is comparedwith data contained in the received data telegram.
 14. User terminalwith a receiving unit and a memory unit adopted to execute a methodaccording to claim 1 can be carried out with it.